Bible Strands
Isaiah 21:11
This is the burden against Dumah: One calls to me from Seir, “Watchman, what is left of the night? Watchman, what is left of the night?”
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — The prophet announces an oracle against Dumah, recording a caller from Seir who repeatedly asks the watchman how much longer the night will last.
The words — The Hebrew מַשָּׂא (maśśāʾ) denotes a divinely imposed oracle or burden, while דּוּמָה (dûmâ) names the target and שֹׁמֵר (šōmēr) identifies the responding figure as a watchman.
The thread — This judgment oracle aligns with the Dumah listed in Genesis 25:14 and the Seir/Edom prophetic pattern found in Obadiah 1:1.
Why it lands — The text presents a direct inquiry about the duration of impending darkness, instructing the questioner to return for further clarification if needed.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
The burden of Dumah. He calleth to me out of Seir, Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?
Cross-references
- Genesis 25:14 Mishma, Dumah, Massa,
- Obadiah 1:1 This is the vision of Obadiah: This is what the Lord GOD says about Edom—We have heard a message from the LORD; an envoy has been sent among the nations to say, “Rise up, and let us go to battle against her!”—
- Amos 1:6 This is what the LORD says: “For three transgressions of Gaza, even four, I will not revoke My judgment, because they exiled a whole population, delivering them up to Edom.
- Joel 3:19 Egypt will become desolate, and Edom a desert wasteland, because of the violence done to the people of Judah, in whose land they shed innocent blood.
- Genesis 32:3 Jacob sent messengers ahead of him to his brother Esau in the land of Seir, the country of Edom.
- Numbers 24:18 Edom will become a possession, as will Seir, his enemy; but Israel will perform with valor.
- Deuteronomy 2:5 Do not provoke them, for I will not give you any of their land, not even a footprint, because I have given Mount Seir to Esau as his possession.
- 1 Chronicles 1:30 Mishma, Dumah, Massa, Hadad, Tema,
- Psalms 137:7 Remember, O LORD, the sons of Edom on the day Jerusalem fell: “Destroy it,” they said, “tear it down to its foundations!”
- Isaiah 21:6 For this is what the Lord says to me: “Go, post a lookout and have him report what he sees.